NINR SMALL GRANT RESEARCH PROGRAM
RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2002
PA NUMBER: PA-02-120
EXPIRATION DATE: June 28, 2005, unless reissued.
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
(http://www.ninr.nih.gov)
THIS PA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
o Purpose of the PA
o Research Objectives
o Mechanism of Support
o Eligible Institutions
o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
o Where to Send Inquiries
o Submitting an Application
o Peer Review Process
o Review Criteria
o Award Criteria
o Required Federal Citations
PURPOSE OF THIS PA
The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) is seeking small grant
(R03) applications in specific areas to 1) stimulate and facilitate the entry
of promising new investigators into nursing research and 2) encourage
established investigators to enter new targeted, high priority areas in this
research field. This Small Grant (R03) program provides support for pilot,
feasibility and methodology development research that is likely to lead to a
subsequent individual research project grant (R01) focused on a key
scientific area identified in the NINR strategic plan.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The National Institute of Nursing Research supports clinical and basic
research to establish a scientific basis for the care of individuals across
the lifespan from management of patients during illness and recovery to the
reduction of risks for disease and disability, the promotion of healthy
lifestyles, promoting quality of life in those with chronic illness, and care
for individuals at the end of life. This research may also include families
within a community context. According to its broad mandate, the Institute
seeks to understand and ease the symptoms of acute and chronic illness, to
prevent or delay the onset of disease or disability or slow its progression,
to find effective approaches to achieving and sustaining good health, and to
improve the clinical settings in which care is provided. Nursing research
involves clinical care in a variety of settings including the community and
home in addition to more traditional health care sites. The NINR"s research
extends to problems encountered by patients, families, and caregivers. It
also focuses on the special needs of at-risk and under-served populations,
with an emphasis on health disparities. These efforts are crucial in the
creation of scientific advances and their translation into cost-effective
health care that does not compromise quality.
Applications may be submitted for this Small Grant Research Program if they
address one of the following topics which are derived from the NINR Strategic
Plan (http://www.ninr.nih.gov/research/diversity/mission.html) and listed
below.
1. Cultural and ethnic considerations in health and illness, including
culturally sensitive interventions to decrease health disparities among
groups by focusing upon health promotion activities and chronic illness
management strategies.
2. End-of-life/palliative care research. NINR is currently the lead
institute at NIH for this area of research and is focusing on clinical
management of physical and psychological symptoms, communication, ethics and
clinical decision-making, caregiver support, and care delivery issues.
3. Health promotion and disease prevention research, particularly as they
relate to lifestyle changes and healthy behavior maintenance across the
lifespan.
4. Symptom management, including pain, cognitive impairment, fatigue, nausea
and vomiting, sleep problems, and others.
Scope
The R03 award supports small research projects that can be carried out in a
short period of time, with limited resources. Examples of the types of
projects that NINR will support with the R03 include the following:
o Pilot and feasibility studies
o Small, self-contained research projects
o Projects by investigators changing research directions
o Innovative research for which success may be less certain
o Development of new research methods or validation of new technology
o Novel methods of analysis, including meta-analysis or secondary data
analysis
Investigators may contact the program director whose area includes the
project"s main aims for additional information. Staff contact information is
provided under WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES, below.
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
This PA will use the NIH R03 award mechanism. As an applicant, you will be
solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed
project. The total project period for an application submitted in response
to the PA may not exceed two years. You may request up to $50,000 direct
costs per year. These grants may not be renewed.
Small grant support is for new projects only, competing continuation
applications will not be accepted. Small grant support may not be used for
thesis or dissertation research. Revisions of a previously reviewed small
grant application may be submitted using the standard NIH guidelines.
ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS
You may submit (an) application(s) if your institution has any of the
following characteristics:
o For-profit or non-profit organizations
o Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals,
and laboratories
o Units of State and local governments
o Eligible agencies of the Federal government
o Domestic or foreign
o Faith-based organizations
INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry
out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to
develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial
and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always
encouraged to apply for NIH programs.
WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES
We encourage your inquiries concerning this PA and welcome the opportunity to
answer questions from potential applicants.
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to one of the NINR Program
Directors listed below. Additional information about these areas of science,
phone numbers, and email addresses may be found on the following web site:
http://www.ninr.nih.gov/ResearchAndFunding/DEA/OEP/AreasofscienceFile.htm
Chronic illness and long term care:
Nell Armstrong, PhD, RN
Telephone: (301) 594-5973
E-mail: nell.armstrong@nih.gov
Reproductive and child health:
Yvonne E. Bryan, PhD, RN
Telephone: (301) 594-6908
E-mail: yvonne.bryan@nih.gov
Immune responses and oncology:
Martha Hare, PhD, RN
Tel: (301) 594-6906
E-mail: martha.hare@nih.gov
Neurofunction and sensory conditions:
Karin F. Helmers, PhD
Tel: (301) 594-2177
E-mail: karin.helmers@nih.gov
End of life and palliative care:
Ann Knebel, RN, DNSc, FAAN
Tel: 301-594-5966
E-mail: aknebel@nih.gov
Health promotion in diverse populations:
Janice Phillips, PhD, RN, FAAN
Tel: (301) 594-6152
E-mail: phillipsj@mail.nih.gov
Cardiopulmonary health and critical care:
Hilary D. Sigmon, PhD, R.N.
Tel: (301) 594-5970
E-mail: hilary.sigmon@nih.gov
o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters to:
Ms. Cindy McDermott
Office of Grants and Contracts Management
Telephone: (301) 594-6869
Email: cindy_mcdermott@nih.gov
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application
instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive
format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 435-0714,
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
Applications must be submitted in a modular grant format. The modular grant
format simplifies the preparation of the budget in these applications by
limiting the level of budgetary detail. Applicants responding to this PA
request either one or two $25,000 modules. Section C of the research grant
application instructions for the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html includes step-by-step
guidance for preparing modular grants. Additional information on modular
grants is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm.
Biographical sketch: If you are in training or in fellowship status at the
time of application you should list in your biographical sketch the position
you will occupy at the time of award with the expected start date in that
position. If the position is contingent on receipt of the award then you
should describe it as "contingent on award".
Research plan: Do not exceed a total of ten pages for the following parts
(a.-d.): Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary
Studies/Progress Report, and Research Design and Methods. Tables and
figures are included in the 10-page limitation. The 10-page limitation does
not include parts e. through i. (Human Subjects Research, Vertebrate Animals,
Literature Cited, Consortium/contractual Arrangements, Consultants).
Appendix: Appendix material may not be submitted with the exception of
color/glossy photos provided a black and white version is included within the
page limits of the Research Plan.
SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten original of
the application, including the checklist, and five signed photocopies in one
package to:
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)
APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by or mailed on or
before the receipt dates described at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm. The CSR will
not accept any application in response to this PA that is essentially the
same as one currently pending initial review unless the applicant withdraws
the pending application. The CSR will not accept any application that is
essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the
submission of a substantial revision of an application already reviewed, but
such application must include an Introduction addressing the previous
critique.
PEER REVIEW PROCESS
Applications submitted for this PA will be assigned on the basis of
established PHS referral guidelines. An appropriate scientific review group
convened in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures
(http://www.csr.nih.gov/refrev.htm) will evaluate applications for scientific
and technical merit.
As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
o Receive a written critique
o Undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have
the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under
review, will be discussed and assigned a priority score
o Receive a second level review by the appropriate advisory council
REVIEW CRITERIA
The R03 small grant is a mechanism for supporting discrete, well-defined
projects that can realistically be expected to be completed in two years and
that require only a modest level of funding. Pilot data are not required to
support these applications. Because the research plan is limited to 10
pages, a small grant application will not have the same level of detail or
extensive discussion found in an R01 application. Accordingly, reviewers
should evaluate the theoretical framework and general approach to the
problem, placing less emphasis on methodological details and certain
indicators traditionally used in evaluating the scientific merit of R01
applications (e.g. hypothesis-driven design, supportive preliminary data).
In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the following
aspects of your application in order to judge the likelihood that the
proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these
goals:
o Significance
o Approach
o Innovation
o Investigator
o Environment
The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria
in assigning your application"s overall score, weighting them as appropriate
for each application. Your application does not need to be strong in all
categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus
deserve a high priority score. For example, you may propose to carry out
important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move
a field forward.
(1) SIGNIFICANCE: Does your study address an important problem? If the aims
of your application are achieved, how do they advance scientific knowledge?
What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that
drive this field?
(2) APPROACH: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses
adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the
project? Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative
tactics?
(3) INNOVATION: Does your project employ novel concepts, approaches or
methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does your project challenge
existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?
(4) INVESTIGATOR: Are you appropriately trained and well suited to carry out
this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to your experience level as the
principal investigator and to that of other researchers (if any)?
(5) ENVIRONMENT: Does the scientific environment in which your work will be
done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments
take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ
useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional
support?
ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, your
application will also be reviewed with respect to the following:
PROTECTIONS: The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals, or
the environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the project
proposed in the application.
INCLUSION: The adequacy of plans to include subjects from both genders, all
racial and ethnic groups (and subgroups), and children as appropriate for the
scientific goals of the research. Plans for the recruitment and retention of
subjects will also be evaluated. (See Inclusion Criteria included in the
section on Federal Citations, below).
DATA SHARING: The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data.
BUDGET: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period
of support in relation to the proposed research.
AWARD CRITERIA
Applications submitted in response to a PA will compete for available funds
with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in
making funding decisions:
o Scientific merit of the proposed project as determined by peer review
o Availability of funds
o Relevance to program priorities
REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS
MONITORING PLAN AND DATA SAFETY AND MONITORING BOARD: Research components
involving Phase I and II clinical trials must include provisions for
assessment of patient eligibility and status, rigorous data management,
quality assurance, and auditing procedures. In addition, it is NIH policy
that all clinical trials require data and safety monitoring, with the method
and degree of monitoring being commensurate with the risks (NIH Policy for
Data Safety and Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, June 12,
1998: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL RESEARCH: It is the policy of
the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations
must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a
clear and compelling justification is provided indicating that inclusion is
inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of
the research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993
(Section 492B of Public Law 103-43).
All investigators proposing clinical research should read the AMENDMENT "NIH
Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical
Research - Amended, October, 2001," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts on October 9, 2001
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html), a
complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm.
The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical
research, updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB
standards, clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical
trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398, and updated roles and
responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy
continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a)
all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of
plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by
sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable,
and b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting
analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group
differences.
INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS:
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals under the age of
21) must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported
by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include
them. This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for
receipt dates after October 1, 1998.
All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the
"NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the inclusion of children as participants in
research involving human subjects that is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm.
REQUIRED EDUCATION ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECT PARTICIPANTS: NIH
policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for
all investigators submitting NIH proposals for research involving human
subjects. You will find this policy announcement in the NIH Guide for Grants
and Contracts Announcement, dated June 5, 2000, at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS (hESC): Criteria for federal funding of research
on hESCs can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/stem_cells.htm and at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only
research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem
Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (see http://escr.nih.gov).
It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the official NIH
identifier(s)for the hESC line(s)to be used in the proposed research.
Applications that do not provide this information will be returned without
review.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT: The
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to
provide public access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a
project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2)
cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action
that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed
through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope
of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this PA in a public
archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the
distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should
include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include
information about this in the budget justification section of the
application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure
informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the
potential for wider use of data collected under this award.
URLs IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES: All applications and proposals
for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations.
Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs)
should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because
reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Furthermore,
we caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they
directly access an Internet site.
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010: The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to
achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy
People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA
is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may
obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS: This program is described in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.361, and is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health
Systems Agency review. Awards are made under authorization of Sections 301
and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and
administered under NIH grants policies described at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm and under Federal Regulations
42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free
workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition,
Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in
certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which
regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early
childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent
with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of
the American people.